Agriculture - Sacco Review | The Leading Newspaper for Co-operative Movement in Kenya

Experts call for faster adoption of drones as Egerton University pushes for modern farming

Sacco ReviewDecember 3, 202509 mins

Kenya’s agricultural sector—responsible for about 22 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics—is at a turning point, with experts urging a shift from traditional farming to technology-driven, precision agriculture. During the Agricultural Drone Pilots Training Programme at Egerton University’s Njoro Main Campus, agricultural scholars…

Tea farmers resists introduction of draconian regulations

Sacco ReviewDecember 2, 2025December 2, 202506 mins

Tea growers in the east of the rift are protesting against a proposal on the standardization of the tea bonus, calling on the stakeholders to enforce plucking of quality green leaf. In their Annual General Meetings, the farmers across the counties said the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) should ensure all the players are involved…

Varsity rolls out programme to train farmers on latest farming technologies, value addition

Sacco ReviewDecember 2, 202505 mins

Zetech University has rolled out a programme to educate farmers on better farming practices, value addition and marketing strategies to bolster their production which will eventually increase their profits. Speaking during the farmers symposium held in the institution, Vice Chancellor Prof Njenga Munene said that the latest farming technologies, modernization and embracing value addition are…

Parliamentary inquiry into tea pricing, farmer bonuses reveals farmers’ divisions in Rift Valley

Sacco ReviewNovember 30, 2025November 30, 202506 mins

A parliamentary inquiry into tea pricing and farmer bonuses has exposed deep divisions between East and West Rift Valley producers, with western growers demanding fair representation and a review of the grading system. Farmers raised key concerns like the perceived bias in factory classifications, the dominance of multinationals in the West Rift and the unequal…

Governor Nyong’o commissions Rice mill in Ahero

Sacco ReviewNovember 29, 202504 mins

The Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o has commissioned a 2.5 metric tonnes per hour Multi Stage County Rice Mill in Ahero Nyando Sub-County. Speaking during the event, the governor said that the launch signifies a milestone that represents not only investment in infrastructure but a bold and strategic investment in farmers, economy and the County’s…

Kagwe urges lenders, donors to reduce lending rates to 3% for farmers to benefit

Sacco ReviewNovember 28, 202504 mins

The Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe has issued a bold call to lenders and development partners to radically reform agricultural financing models, saying farmers will never achieve meaningful growth unless credit becomes affordable and donor funding is restructured to deliver direct impact at the farm level. Speaking during the Intergovernmental Agriculture…

Over 7 million farmers to benefit as Gov’t acquires digital agriculture system

Sacco ReviewNovember 28, 202504 mins

Over 7 million farmers are set to benefit from a pivotal digital transformation in the agriculture sector after the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and development partners handed over the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS) to the Ministry of Agriculture. The handover witnessed during the ongoing Intergovernmental Forum on Agriculture in Naivasha was…

Lawmakers intensify probe on tea pricing in Kenya as KTGA, KTDA appear before agriculture committee

Sacco ReviewNovember 28, 2025November 28, 202505 mins

Members of Parliament, (MPs) have intensified investigation on the contentious tea pricing in the country, putting Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA) and Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) on the hot seat to come clean on the woos surrounding the sector. Appearing before the Agriculture and Livestock Committee for inquiry, KTGA CEO, Lindah Oluoch while answering…

CS Kagwe urges counties, private sectors to revitalise agricultural sector through technological innovation

Sacco ReviewNovember 27, 202506 mins

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has challenged counties and private sector players to “break out of routine, abandon comfort zones, and rethink agriculture from the ground up,” adapting to the technological innovations in the sector. CS Kagwe who officially launched the two-day Intergovernmental Agriculture Forum (IGAF) 2025, warned that Kenya cannot solve…

Cane farmers oppose proposals to exempt manufacturers, importers from 4% levy

Sacco ReviewNovember 27, 202505 mins

Sugar cane farmers in the country have vehemently opposed proposals to exempt exporters and manufacturers importing white refined industrial sugar from paying the four per cent Sugar Development Levy. Sugar Campaign for Change (Sucam), coordinator Michael Arum said in a statement that farmers described the proposal by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) as “misguided, legally unfounded,…